Jose Mejia Martinez
Jose Mejia Martinez, 34, died on June 10, 2021, while held at the George R. Vierno Center on Rikers Island in New York City. The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation lists his death as an overdose. His family's lawsuit, which the city settled for $2.7 million without admitting liability, says he took methadone obtained from another person held in the dayroom, became visibly impaired, and sat in his cell for hours while officers looked in without calling for medical help. A New York City Board of Correction report said an officer spoke to him in the dayroom for about 40 minutes without raising an alarm, and that medical aid was not called until hours after others noticed he was cold to the touch.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of an overdose (disputed; neglect alleged). The New York Attorney General's Office and the Board of Correction list it as a methadone overdose, while the family's lawsuit says officers saw him in distress for hours, did not call for medical help or give Narcan, and the city settled the suit without admitting liability.
Reported by: New York State Office of the Attorney General, Office of Special Investigation (outside investigators); New York City Board of Correction (outside investigators); family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued the city over his death at Rikers Island, and the city settled the lawsuit for $2.7 million, while a separate report says the city settled the suit for more than $5 million.
News reports (5)
- New York Attorney General, Office of Special Investigation data tables
- Report: Rikers lapses contributed to 10 deaths in 2021
- NYC Agrees To Pay $5.2 Million In Rikers Methadone Death Settlements
- Rikers Island deaths: City pays more than $5M to settle suits over methadone overdose-related fatalities
- City to pay over $5 mil to families whose loved ones overdosed on Rikers